Chapter 146: Sacrificing the Rook to Save the King

Two days have passed since Qian Liang was arrested.

For these past two days, his mood has been like fifteen buckets hanging in a well—tossing and turning. These Embroidered Uniform Guards dared to arrest him, so they must have received instructions from some big shot.

Otherwise, who would dare touch him? And that big shot must at least be someone who can speak to the Wuqing Marquis.

Once he associated the fact that the Silver Dollar was launched by Zhang Yunxiu, he became the primary suspect.

Just as he was thinking this, Sun Xiang in the cell next to him suddenly spoke up: "Brother Qian, we've really fallen into a trap this time."

Qian Liang turned his head to look at Sun Xiang, who was leaning against the bars, pursed his lips, and said unpleasantly: "I am not the same as you; I am only here temporarily. The Wuqing Marquis will certainly not ignore me."

"That's right, who are you? You are the head steward of the Wuqing Marquis!" Sun Xiang sneered inwardly, but on the surface, he continued to flatter him.

Qian Liang was quite pleased, straightened his back, smoothed out his prison uniform, and wore a haughty expression. Sun Xiang knew that this man's death was imminent, so he was happy to indulge in idle chatter with him.

"Brother Qian, I read some miscellaneous books in my early years. Looking at your full forehead and square chin, you will surely be able to avoid this disaster."

Hearing this, Qian Liang nodded and stretched his neck to act tough: "Don't you worry, these Embroidered Uniform Guards are likely just trying to scare me. Once I get out, I will immediately take action and get you out too."

"Then I shall thank you in advance, Brother Qian."

Sun Xiang cupped his hands and bowed to Qian Liang.

As the two were talking, a burst of hurried footsteps suddenly sounded in the corridor outside the cell.

The two looked up and saw four or five Embroidered Uniform Guard strongmen carrying a large table of wine and food, walking toward them.

When they reached the cell, the leader took out a key and opened Qian Liang's door. Qian Liang stepped back, and the few Embroidered Uniform Guard strongmen sent the wine and food inside.

Looking at the table of fine wine and food, combined with Sun Xiang's auspicious words from before, most of Qian Liang's anxiety dissipated.

He grinned and started getting friendly with the few Embroidered Uniform Guards: "Brothers, when can I get out?"

"Soon, soon." One of them replied with a chuckle, then left without looking back.

Once they left, Qian Liang invited Sun Xiang to eat the feast. Sun Xiang ate a few bites, retreated to his original spot, sat cross-legged on the ground, and closed his eyes to rest.

Qian Liang no longer stood on ceremony and began to feast on the food and wine.

Just as Qian Liang was feasting, a four-bearer apricot-yellow curtained, blue-roofed warm sedan chair slowly drove into the sedan hall of the Wuqing Marquis's mansion.

As soon as the sedan landed, the head bearer lifted the curtain, and a person stepped out from inside.

He was seen wearing a bean-green small python court robe on the outside, a cashmere-lined jacket on the inside, a jade belt tied around his waist, and a thick cashmere hat on his head.

He was wrapped tightly from head to toe, revealing only a fair-skinned face.

It was the Ceremonial Eunuch, also serving as the managing official of the Qianqing Palace, Wei Qing.

By this time, two days had passed since Qian Liang was arrested. The entire capital was watching this matter, and the Wuqing Marquis was so anxious he was jumping up and down.

During this period, the Wuqing Marquis visited Zhang Yunxiu several times, but who would have thought this fellow had run off to the Tianjin Guard, as if trying to distance himself completely.

At this time, his son Li Gao offered a plan: "That Wei Qing and Zhang Yunxiu are as thick as thieves; why not call him over and ask?"

The Wuqing Marquis was already dizzy and confused, so seeing a plan he could use, he agreed without a second thought.

Wei Qing stepped inside, and just as he rounded the screen wall, he saw mourning decorations hung everywhere, while funeral music and the wailing of a professional mourner could be heard.

Wei Qing felt a sense of alarm and hurried forward.

Arriving at the main hall, a coffin was placed straight in the middle.

A middle-aged man in mourning clothes was kneeling in front of the coffin, with a crowd of family members kneeling behind him.

As soon as Wei Qing entered, the drums and music played loudly, and the professional mourner began to wail at the top of her lungs:

"Oh, my Wuqing Marquis, why were you so unable to think straight?"

"How cruel your heart is, leaving behind these orphans and widows!"

"Stepping one foot onto the Bridge of Helplessness."

"Going to the underworld to meet King Yama."

"Oh, my Wuqing Marquis."

With the professional mourner's cry, the family members in the hall began to wail at the top of their lungs. In an instant, the entire hall was filled with sky-shaking cries, descending into chaos.

Wei Qing was startled and suspicious, so he hurried to the front and asked the middle-aged man: "Imperial Brother-in-law? Who is inside?"

This was Empress Dowager Li's younger brother, Li Gao.

"Who else could it be? It's my father!" Li Gao glared at Wei Qing, snatched the white hat off his head, and cursed viciously, "Look, my father was such a good man, and he was forced to hang himself by you people." "The Imperial Father-in-law hanged himself?" Wei Qing was so shocked his features went askew.

"He did, but it was discovered in time, and he was saved." Li Gao looked sorrowful, gave an order to the family members, and pulled Wei Qing into the side hall.

Once the two were seated, Wei Qing was still thinking about the Wuqing Marquis hanging himself, so he asked impatiently: "How is the Marquis now?"

"He was saved, but his soul is lost. The doctor said that our house lost a person, and his soul was taken away by that person." Li Gao shook his head, blinking his eyes as he looked at Wei Qing.

Bah! He wondered what it was; so this was where he was waiting for him.

He had come to see Li Wei's family after discussing it with Zhang Yunxiu.

He knew Zhang Yunxiu only wanted to give this Imperial Father-in-law a warning, and then the matter would be over. For such a straightforward task of setting fire to a paper-offering shop, he was naturally happy to see it through.

However, he did not express his stance immediately, but instead asked with feigned surprise: "What person did the Marquis's mansion lose? It wouldn't be that a thief broke in, would it?"

"Qian Liang is lost."

"Ah, how did he get lost? I have been in the Qianqing Palace for a long time and truly do not know about these outside matters."

"Eunuch Wei!" Li Gao couldn't help but shout when he saw him playing dumb.

"Yes, Imperial Brother-in-law."

Wei Qing replied respectfully.

At this, Li Gao lost his temper, only biting his cheek as he looked at Wei Qing, thinking to himself: This fellow has likely received instructions from Zhang Yunxiu; it seems our family is destined to take a big fall this time.

He was as anxious as a monkey scratching its head, but he didn't know how to bring it up.

Several times, he wanted to talk about this with his sister.

But as soon as he thought of his sister's expression, Li Gao would tremble all over and couldn't even speak clearly, so how could he dare to mention this?

"Imperial Brother-in-law, why not tell the Emperor about this? Let him send someone to help you find him?" Wei Qing, after pondering for a few seconds, suddenly suggested at this moment.

"His Majesty is busy with ten thousand matters a day; let's not trouble him with such trivialities," Li Gao said, shaking his head repeatedly.

"Oh," Wei Qing replied, drawing out the tone, then turned to pick up the hot tea at his side, took a small sip, and added, "Right, what did the Imperial Brother-in-law call me here for today?"

Watching Wei Qing's calm and indifferent demeanor, Li Gao felt his teeth itch with anger, but thinking of the favor he needed to ask, he could only grit his teeth and say, "Eunuch Wei, I treat you as a friend, so I won't hide it from you: Qian Liang has been arrested by the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"Ah? Who arrested him?" Wei Qing jumped in surprise.

"Who else could it be? That old friend of yours, of course."

"Oh my, Imperial Brother-in-law, please stop playing riddles with me; who exactly arrested him?"

"Zhang Yunxiu sent men to arrest him!"

Li Gao said resentfully.

"This..." Wei Qing chuckled inwardly, maintaining control over the conversation, "Could there be some misunderstanding in this? Minister Zhang went to the Tianjin Guard to oversee the construction of the treasure ships; how could he be the one who arrested him?"

"Bah, you and that Eunuch Wei are as thick as thieves; you know perfectly well how your nephew Qin Tianzhu got his position as Thousand-Household." Li Gao was immediately displeased and said with some dissatisfaction, "Han San is just a dog raised by the Zhang Family brothers. If a dog bites someone, we have to find the master, right?"

"Why did Han San arrest Qian Liang?"

"I don't know either. Which of those Embroidered Uniform Guards isn't like a loach, drilling everywhere? They'll stir up trouble even when there isn't any."

Seeing Li Gao still being stubborn, Wei Qing decided to lay it out clearly: "Imperial Brother-in-law, if you say that, then I have to argue this with you. In the past, whenever these Embroidered Uniform Guards saw people from the Wuqing Marquis mansion, which one of them didn't put on a smiling face?"

"If this Qian Liang hadn't committed some extraordinary offense, even if you gave Han San a hundred guts, he wouldn't dare touch someone from your mansion."

Li Gao knitted his brows, still wanting to argue, but Wei Qing interrupted him: "Imperial Brother-in-law, even when making money, one must know what money should be earned and what shouldn't. Money is good, but we must keep our manners decent."

"Fine, you have the person released, and I will stop immediately."

"Stop what, Imperial Brother-in-law?"

Wei Qing leaned forward, feigning surprise, and said, "Isn't this something that wicked servant Qian Liang did behind your back, his master? Now that he has been brought to justice, for the Imperial Father-in-law and the Imperial Brother-in-law to uphold righteousness by sacrificing their own is the proper path."

"Ah! Yes, yes, yes." Seeing that he could clear his name, Li Gao nodded with a smile, disregarding Qian Liang's life or death, and shouted viciously: "That dog Qian Liang is truly detestable, daring to commit such evil deeds behind my back."

"You go back and tell Zhang Yunxiu that I don't care about this person anymore; he can deal with him however he likes."

"Very well, but the Imperial Brother-in-law should be careful in the Higo."

"I know."

(End of this chapter)